All the emotions! I laughed out loud, I cried, I swooned, and I'm pretty sure my heart actually hurt. Holy crap... I loved this book! I didn't think Cara could top Ready or Not, but I think this book might. The characters are so beautiful and multi-layer and real. We could all be so lucky to have a Miles...and a Lenny too! I didn't want this book to ever end. Loved the slow burn, and the entire story line. Reading this was a magical journey and love letter all wrapped into one!

THIS BOOK. GO BUY IT. BUY 12 COPIES. I loved it so much oh my god. Firstly, thank you so very much to Random House and Dial Press for the ARC, it was absolutely incredible. As usual, all opinions are my own.
Promise Me Sunshine starts with Lenny, about 6 months after Lou, her best friend, platonic soulmate, and favorite person in the world has died from cancer. And Lenny doesn’t know how to live without her. Understandably, she’s struggling and doesn’t know how to move on, taking temporary nannying jobs and not doing much else.
At her most recent job, she runs right into a complicated family dynamic between Ainsley, the spunky 7-year old she’s nannying, Reece, her overworked mom, and Miles, Ainsley’s grumpy uncle. Miles is having trouble connecting to his family, something that Lenny seems to do effortlessly. After witnessing Lenny have a break-down, Miles proposes a deal: he’ll help Lenny get through her Live Again list left by Lou, if she helps him improve his relationships with his family. The rest of the story follows Lenny and Miles helping each other and falling in love along the way.
I fell in love with both of these characters. Miles is absolute perfection. He’s shy and kind of grumpy, but loves so fiercely and is so gentle with all of his girls, and it’s impossible not to root for him. This man is the definition of “if he wanted to, he would” and he and Lenny are one of the best examples of a friends to lovers romance that I’ve read in a while. Lenny is so charming and relateable, and her grief is so raw that her memories and descriptions of Lou made me sob multiple times. They fit so well together, and it’s so relieving when they finally get together. This is a slower burn, but the burn is SO GOOD and oh so worth it. There is a long spicy scene, but I didn’t feel that it was necessary to read.
The other characters all feel so real and vivid, and I’d love books about each and every one of them. They were so interesting and fun, and it would just be great to see more of them.
This was such a lovely, earnest, beautiful book that I just loved so much. My review on Instagram was posted on January 29th, and the Goodreads review was posted today.

I will forever read absolutely EVERYTHING Cara Bastone writes! She could make the ingredients and directions on a 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner bottle make me swoon. I was elated when I saw the email notification that I had been approved by NetGalley to read this ARC.

When I read Cara’s book Ready or Not, I became an instant fan. I saw parts of my own life scattered throughout those pages, so I was thrilled to jump into the Promise Me Sunshine world. It did not disappoint! It was so raw. It was so real. It never once felt cliché. I felt every single emotion as if I were living in this world.

Each character was so beautifully written that, when I finished the book, it left me wanting the story to keep going—not in a way that made it feel unfinished, but in a way that made me believe the characters’ lives continue on, even if their stories aren’t written down and published. Does that make sense?

All I can say is that this book was just right. I’m so grateful I was able to read the ARC, and the moment it’s published, I will be getting myself the shelf trophy!

Thank you so much to NetGalley & Dial Press!
And thank you, Cara, for writing this book. I love it more than I can possibly describe in a single review.

This book was fantastic! I couldn’t put it down, yet I didn’t want to rush through it. Lenny is grieving the loss of her best friend since childhood and she is broken. Not wanting to bring people down with her she chooses short temp jobs and ends up helping watch a young girl of a single mom. Enter said mom’s half brother Miles who knows what it’s like to walk through deep grief after his mom and cousin die. He agrees to help her through the loss and a beautiful friendship blossoms that is about as true and loyal as you can find. Lenny has to complete the “live again” list and Miles will do anything to help her with this task. “He walked into hell and dragged me back out” pretty much sums up Miles. He may be the best male lead character in any book I’ve read. This is my second book by Cara Bastone and she did it again! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the e-book in exchange for my honest review. This will be out March 4th and should be on your buy/read list!

Promise Me Sunshine is a book about finding your way back into the light after loss. It was full of grief but also joy, and was a very unique love story! The writing felt choppy at times which I believe was intentional as it reflected the way the narrator was experiencing her own emotions.

I would have always described myself as a reader that needed a fast moving plot and that character driven books weren’t for me. That was until I read Ready or Not by Cara Bastone last year and she’s back with her emotional yet fun writing style in Promise Me Sunshine.

Grieving the loss of her best friend, a young woman’s life is turned upside down when she meets a grumpy stranger who swears he can help her live again.

Obviously this one is heavy but there’s just something about a grief story that sucks me right in. Leave it to Bastone to make one of the hardest stories to tell also end up being one of the funniest ones. I loved the characters and it was refreshing to have the loss be that of a friend as sometimes your best friend is the family you chose. I can’t put into words how much I loved the story and the narration was absolute perfection.

My only complaints were that at the beginning the male character bothered me a lot. He was a complete stranger and basically forced himself onto the female character and expected her to just fully trust him and call him at any point she was sad. That wasn’t realistic and gave me the immediate ick. But he did redeem himself so there’s that. The second thing was that it started to drag towards the end and I became slightlllly bored. (I also had this problem with Ready or Not as well).

Overall, this is a 4.5 star read that rounded up to 5 because I did wholeheartedly love this story and if you can read it, I highly recommend that you do!

A tragic stunning example of love in times of deep grief.

Cara writes another poignant romance. It should be your run of the mill romance and yet it’s not. It’s SO much more.

If you need a good deep cathartic cry, read this. If you’re feeling like you don’t matter, read this. If you don’t know how to move forward, read this. If you need to remember the importance of the “little things in life”, read this.

Lenny lost her platonic best friend soul mate and she’s living day by day. Until, she gets a nanny job with a little girl named Ainsley. Ainsley’s uncle Miles, refuses to leave the pair alone. Miles and Lenny strike a deal, he’ll help Lenny with her grief and Lenny will help him bond with Ainsley. Soon enough, the lines blur and we forget who is helping who.

Read if you like:
🐺Matching tattoos
🗽NYC
🍝Your family’s long ass Italian dinners
🏡Forced proximity
🪣The bucket list movie
❤️‍🔥Slow burn
☹️Emotional romance
🫂Found family

Quotes:

"Home is where the heart is. My heart died in a cancer ward six months ago."

"Every time i fall in love with you there's lightning"
"There's only you. Lenny. Every time.. it's just you" he says, muffled as he kisses me. "And you." He kisses me again. "And you."

"But with you, Len, when I met you..... I sort of feel like I met myself"

"He treats you well?"
"Mom, he walked into hell and dragged me back out"

"Grief is a relationship. It's the way we figure out how to keep loving them even though they're gone. And in order to do that we have to keep on going. And going and going. You're not betraying her by healing, you are honoring her. You are learning to love her exactly as she is. As someone who isn't here anymore... that's who she is now. And this journey through grief.. it's what we do for great loves of our lives"

"I'm never sleeping when I close my eyes like this with you."
"Then what are you doing?"
"Committing the moment to memory."

"why should I be scared of kissing you, Miles? I'd just be getting even closer to the safest place in the whole world."

“Lenny, when I look at your face, I feel like I’m finally home after a really long day at work.”

Lenny annoyed me quite a bit at the start of the book to the point I almost wanted to DNF. I was not a fan of her schtick. I really, really enjoyed Ready or Not last year though, so I stuck with it. I noticed around 36% that she’d grown on me, the thing that was annoying me the most had calmed down, and Miles had a balancing effect. I actually would have really liked a bit of Miles’ POV in this story, because Lenny was a LOT and he did not say a whole lot with his words. The side characters were fun, but some of them fell away a good bit as the story progressed. Lenny is sad, she’s isolated herself from mostly everyone except Miles, and that (rightfully) put a damper on the “romance” through a lot of the book, but Miles is quietly solid in his care and affection. By the time we got to the spice, I was over it. The ending was about as weak as the beginning for me. The best parts were definitely in the middle Overall, I sadly did not love this as much as Ready or Not, but it is worth a read if you’re in the mood for a less conventional romance.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

A huge thank you to Random House for letting me read this early! Cara Bastone has recently made her way on to my list of favorite authors. Her stories and characters are so rich and complex.

Promise Me Sunshine is a beautiful story of love and grief. We meet Lenny, drowning in grief and struggling to get through the day to day. Miles comes in, a lifeboat to get her through. We see so much growth from both Lenny and Miles and their love story was unbelievable. The chemistry was to die for, and the things Miles says oh man. He is the picture of a perfect book boyfriend. Cannot recommend this book enough, I cried, I laughed, I swooned and it was the BEST time!

It will be so hard for me to say just how much I loved this book, and I'm going to preemptively apologize for whatever romance I read next because it will be hard to follow up!

After loving Ready or Not, I was so excited to get approved for this arc and I TORE through it. Reading this book felt like being comforted with a cozy blanket and a hot cup of tea after a long, hard day. At its core, it's about all the different types of love that exist: familial love, plantic love, and of course romantic love. It's also such an honest portrayal of grief and the work that goes into moving on and finding the joy in life again after loss.

Also, with the current trend in romance novels focusing heavily on smut, I adored this absolute slow burn (and I mean like the last few chapters slow). The romance in this story is built on friendship, trust, and loving someone even when they are at their lowest point. I was DYING for Miles and Lenny to kiss and was kicking my feet when they finally did. Miles is a wonderful example of what it means to love and care for someone, ow to be there through hardship, and absolutely zero toxic masculinity. There was no miscommunication, 3rd act breakup, or any unnecessary drama to move the plot along.

My only tiny complaint is that I would have wanted more Lenny and Lou's flashbacks in the last act of the story, but it doesn't take away from how much I loved this book.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Random House for the arc. I can't wait to get my hands on the physical copy once it comes out next month!

What an absolutely beautiful story focusing on devastation of grief, friendship, and love. Miles and Lenny’s slow burn, friends to lovers romance was so beautifully written. The commentary on grief and the loss of a family member was done with such care.

I loved all of the characters, the gentle pacing of the story, the swoony romance. This was my first book by Cara Bastone, but it definitely won’t be the last.

Another Cara Bastone knock out! I read her first book, last year, and knew I would want to read whatever she wrote next. This was such a heartfelt book, with a slew of loveable characters.

Lenny is learning to live again after the death of her lifetime best friend when she takes on the job of babysitting Ainsley for the weekend. She immediately meets Ainsley's uncle Miles, who makes far from a good first impression. As they get to know each other, and unlikely friendship forms as he helps her feel alive again and complete her live again list.

I immediately fell in love with all of the characters in this book. They all felt so deep and real. Lenny was so relatable and real. She felt like someone I would want to be friends. Cara Bastone also writes the best book boyfriends. Like Shep in Ready or Not, Miles is perfectly patient, dependable, and lovable. I love how they both care so much for Ainsley and the two make a really wholesome pair as they are both the nicest people ever.

This is my favorite book I have read in a long time. Lenny's journey with Miles through her grief was so beautiful and felt so real. I feel like any review I write won't do this book justice, but I can't wait for it to come out because I will be recommending it to everyone!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dial Press publishing for the advanced reader copy of this book!

Oh, this book was so cute! Lenny is struggling after losing her best friend and finds it hard to move on. But when she meets Miles while helping a single mom and her daughter, Ainsley, he offers to help Lenny complete her "live again" list in exchange for her help connecting with Ainsley. It was a bittersweet journey—sad at times, but also heartwarming and filled with moments that made me smile. And I have to say, I absolutely loved Miles.

Thanks to Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group - Random House | Dial Press Trade Paperback for my advanced e copy in exchange for my honest review.

Pub date: March 4, 2024

<b>— 3.75 stars ★</b>
⤿ <i>arc review ⊹ ࣪ ˖ </i>

this is my first cara bastone book and honestly why haven’t I been reading her books SINCE because her work is really great. she tackles tough subjects that add depth to a typical romance novel. the theme of grief throughout the story helps to develop more complex characters. lenny and miles are portrayed in a way that feels relatable, making it easy for readers to see their own lenny and miles in the story. my main issue was the lack of romance; I wish we had more moments between lenny and miles.

this book took me on a deep emotional journey. it felt genuine and relatable. you find yourself laughing and crying, and by the end, you see that it’s not only a tale of sorrow—it’s also about discovering moments of happiness even in tough times. lenny and miles have their flaws, and that’s what makes their development so touching. i honestly think this book could’ve been a little longer because I really wanted to see more of lenny and miles relationship. i really like this authors work and this definitely won’t be my last book from her

ೃ⁀➷ <b>thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange of an honest review.</b>

OH MY GOD. IS 5 STARS ENOUGH?!?! 🥹⭐️🤍

I am truly blown away. This was a perfect book. Promise Me Sunshine has a heavy emphasis on the various stages of grief and the power someone’s presence can have in your life, both past and present. Bastone meticulously and flawlessly took us through the varying emotions both the FMC and MMC feel as their relationship evolves while dealing with their own respective hardships, but also kept it light at the same time with banter and humor. I got actual butterflies while reading!!

If this book doesn’t turn into a movie at some point I will be so sad. I never understood people that had “book boyfriends,” but Miles Honey is mine. *chefs kiss*

Thank you to Cara Bastone, Random House Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC!! I will be purchasing when the physical book is released in stores. 🥰 This was my first Cara Bastone novel and won’t be my last!! So excited to read more by her!

4.5 stars ❤️

I was so excited to receive the ARC for this book because Ready or Not was one of my favourite romances I read last year, and for the second book in a row, Cara Bastone did NOT disappoint!!!

Promise Me Sunshine was adorable, emotional, and had me laughing out loud a few times. I loved the depiction of grief in different ways through both Lenny and Miles, and their connection was so sweet. I'm always here for a romance that doesn't feel like it's just racing to the part where they have sex, so I was digging the slow-burn. Plus, it felt like they'd already been dating for months with how they talked to each other and everything they did together.

Also, their new little friend group was fun! I loved watching Lenny grow from someone who had basically stopped existing with other people to someone who could look forward to making plans with new friends and let herself experience joy again.

Knocked off half a star solely because I felt like there could have been a little bit more to the whole Reese and Miles relationship. I would've liked to see more of them actually strengthening that relationship since it was so important to Miles.

Overall, I really loved this book and I'm already excited for whatever Cara Bastone writes next!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was such a beautiful examination of grief and how to continue living (and loving) after loss. Simultaneously soft, sharp, and sardonic. Sometimes incredibly prolific, sometimes incredibly unserious. I loved the journey Lenny went through as well as how her relationships develop.

After reading Read Or Not, I had high expectations of Promise Me Sunshine (maybe just slightly too high unfortunately). Cara Bastone doesn’t shy away from hard hitting topics that create more depth to your average romance book. The idea of grief that weaves its way through the book helps to create more three dimensional characters. The way that Lenny and Miles are written felt familiar, like anyone can read this book and identify their Lenny and Miles. My biggest complaint was not enough romance! I wanted more of Lenny and Miles together. My other minor complaint is that Lenny seemed somewhat immature. I’m the same age she’s supposed to be, but I kept imagining her as a 20 year old.

Overall, Cara Bastone deserves to be in the same conversation as authors like Emily Henry and Abby Jimenez, who create deeper romance novels with characters that are memorable and pull on the heart strings.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eArc in exchange for an honest review

One of the best depictions of what life is like with grief. I absolutely loved everything about this book. This is definitely not a traditional love story, instead it’s about finding the good in the hardest times, learning how to accept help, and moving forward.